Magneto timing question

[Tom-D]

I guess the engine makers have found that lockwashers are enough, as long as they're properly torqued in the first place. Connecting rod nuts in many engines aren't locknuts and have no lockwashers or Loctite, either, the nut being restrained by the pressure maintained on it by the stretch in the stud. Some older engines used castellated nuts and cotter pins. My Gipsy Major had brass lockwire on the rod nuts. It also had indexable vernier magneto drive couplings for timing, a pain to set but could never slip.

The lock washer, and the lock nut are both a 1 time use items. Either are acceptable, but both are misused, and used over and over again.

There is no cure for stupid.

I happen to be in the belief that a lock nut is a better safety device than a lock washer.

 

[Tom-D]

Lock nuts are difficult to properly torque presenting an increased risk that they will either be inadequately tightened or over tightened and damage the threads in the accessory case that the stud is screwed into. Frankly for magnetos, which need periodic adjustment or removal I think lock nuts would be a PITA. They aren't necessary despite the couple of stories here about loose mags. Those instances aren't because of the lack of lock nuts, they're due to a maintenance error by someone.

when you adjust mag timing the nuts holding the mag are not removed, they are simply loosen, to allow the mag to turn. This can be accomplished with a lock nut such as the MS 210XX-6, but the action of loosening the lock washer destroys it. And it is never replaced at this time, because it is never actually removed.